Orlando first to advance to NBA quarters

Vince Carter turned back the clock with all-star Dwight Howard in foul trouble again as Orlando swept Charlotte in four straight, becoming the first team to reach the quarter finals Monday.

Veteran Carter scored 21 points, Jameer Nelson added 18 to lift the Magic to a 99-90 win over the Bobcats on Monday to complete a sweep of their first-round series.

In a later game, Carlos Delfino helped Milwaukee even their best-of-seven series with Hawks at 2-2. Orlando will face the winner of the Atlanta-Milwaukee series in the round of eight.

Howard was held to six points in his fourth-straight game and got into foul trouble again as the Magic posted their first four-game sweep in franchise history.

"Regardless of us winning with him in foul trouble throughout the series, we still need him on the floor," Carter said of Howard. "He's a big part of what we do. We can go as far as he takes us. Our job is to help him and we showed that this series."

Mickael Pietrus sank a pair of huge three-point shots in the final quarter and finished with 13 points.

Tyrus Thomas scored 21 points for the losers.

There was disappointment Monday but on the positive side it was a good season overall for head coach Larry Brown and new Bobcats owner Michael Jordan. The club didn't win more than 35 regular season games prior to the 2009-10 campaign.

Delfino sank six shots from three point range en route to a 22-point night and Milwaukee pulled even with Atlanta in their series with a 111-104 game four win at the Bradley Center arena.

Brandon Jennings scored 23 and John Salmons 22 for the Bucks, who have won the last two games. CHARLOTTE, North Carolina, AFP